What Fuels You?
Paloma is building a professional base for the “job curious.”
Does your job define you as a person?
Whether the answer is yes or no, Paloma, a new online space for those considering a big career move, promises a journey of job self-discovery.
The idea for Paloma came to Jana Chapman when she was teamed with Alyssa McKee during year one of their Portland-based Oregon Executive MBA program. Upon hearing the concept, McKee believed in the vision, helped Chapman brainstorm ideas, and served as a resource during her capstone project. And yes, a few sips of the refreshing grapefruit cocktail did pass their lips.
One day, Jana asked if I wanted to try to build it into a real company. Without hesitation, I said yes.
So, what is Paloma?
Let’s start with what it isn’t.
The differentiator for Paloma over other job sites is to remove as many irrelevant details as possible to improve the chance of finding a holistic fit.
In fact, Paloma profiles are confidential and have no gender, race, school, or company markers.
“People are going to make assumptions and that doesn’t mean that you’re not a good fit or qualified for a different role,” Chapman said, adding both sides of the hiring puzzle can get hung up on job titles in particular. Hear More
“We know we can’t eliminate all bias, but maybe we can reduce it while helping people find positions that are more aligned with their values and strengths.”
“If I were to apply for a tech job on Indeed or LinkedIn, I wouldn’t get a call,” said McKee, a 15-year veteran of the wealth industry.
“So, for those considering a mid-career change, Paloma hopes to improve the culture and human aspect of the job application process—to move ‘beyond the bot.’” Hear More
Find Your Vibe
Paloma launched with quizzes to help job-curious professionals find meaningful direction in their careers. Hear More
One of the tools Paloma users may use to help find their professional vibe is short quizzes. Choose from one of two answers for each question to quickly find where your professional preferences lie and make your next career move in alignment with who you are at your core. This could look like…
Q: Which statement sounds more like you?
There’s nothing more satisfying to me than building something from scratch or restoring something to its former glory.
OR
I am passionate about empowering and uplifting others; making a positive difference in someone’s life is what motivates me every day.
Q: Which company would you rather work for?
Champions employee innovation with significant support yet offers only rudimentary onboarding and lacks a structured approach to ongoing learning.
OR
Invests heavily in training and professional growth programs but does not provide support for employee-driven innovation or resources for developing new ideas.
Q: Which statement sounds more like you?
Complex problems excite me, especially when I can use logic and methodical approaches to solve them.
OR
I have a keen eye for detail and take pride in my ability to manage information accurately and efficiently.
Hiring Happy Employees
The founders also invite employers interested in “hiring happy employees” to join and create a company profile on the platform, even if they are not yet ready to hire.
In the future, Paloma hopes to use the concept to help employers retain talent at small to midsize companies. Hear More
“When the time comes to expand your team, you’ll have a pipeline of enthusiastic and well-matched candidates ready to join,” Chapman said.
In terms of next steps, McKee is focused on increasing Paloma’s social media presence and social and digital marketing strategy to drive traffic to the company’s website.
Paloma recently released a new website, FindMyPaloma, featuring additional functionalities. Hear More
It also launched its newsletter with the intention to capture and engage followers and help build Paloma in the way that’s going to be most valuable to the user.
Because when you find a path that’s fulfilling, it’s not just a job.
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